No Apostrophe With Descriptive Adjectives
The Apostrophe
Rulebase Summary
Do not use an apostrophe with words or names that are regarded as descriptive adjectives rather than possessives. Proper nouns can also be descriptive adjectives. Consulting the dictionary is the best way to check whether a word is functioning as a possessive or a descriptive adjective.
Examples
A. She works at the girl's basketball camp every summer.
A. She works at the girls basketball camp every summer.
'Girls' here describes the type of camp — it is a descriptive adjective, not a possessive.
A. The citizen's advisory board meets once a month.
A. The citizens advisory board meets once a month.
'Citizens' describes the type of board — it functions as an adjective, not a possessive.
Transcript Notes
The distinction between a possessive and a descriptive adjective is critical in court documents. Proper nouns can function as either possessives or adjectives -- the dictionary and context determine the correct form.
Style Guide References (1)
Morson's